United, they fall apart on MoI and Marathi

They have decided to fight all the issues in one voice, but on the crucial issues of Medium of Instruction and making Marathi the official language, they fall apart.

This is the position of three independent MLAs, who are all set to float their regional party on 26 January.

Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal don’t meet on these two issues, which are presently rocking the state and will also make rock-n-roll in the winter Assembly session beginning from 11 January.

“We are all set to float our regional party. We don’t make U turns on what we announce. It’s all ready”, said Sardesai.

But when asked about their stand on the issues of MoI and making Marathi the official language of Goa, they could not spell out the ‘unified policy’ of their regional party, which obviously they won’t be part of till their term gets over.

All the three independents, at today’s press conference, blasted the Bharatiya Janata Party government for going back on their assurance and not presenting the Goa School Education Amendment bill in the winter session.

The bill primarily provides legal protection to continue government grants to Church-run English medium primary schools.

When asked what would be their stand if the bill was presented, their standard reply was: “let the bill come, then we’ll decide.”

Keeping aside the bill, journalists asked them: whom do you support in this issue? BBSM or FORCE?

Vijai: I am not with BBSM.

Sawal: Not with anybody.

Rohan: Depends on the bill.

Sardesai and Khaunte were also asked if they would support the private member’s bill submitted by their colleague Sawal to make Marathi the official language of Goa.

Vijai: No, I will not support it.

Rohan: I have not decided.

Sardesai however made two pertinent points, regarding the MoI issues:

1. Parents decide the school, not the medium. They would prefer any medium if the school is good.2. We don’t agree with painting only the minority as anti-nationals and fanaticising the MoI issue.

They have however decided to fight all other issues together – Regional Plan, deleting coconut from the Act, Terekhol golf course, lack of medical facilities at GMC, water scarcity, Defence Expo etc etc.

In the business of politics the mantra is you have to be with voters not the other way. So depending on the constutuents the opinions and the stand is changed. Even self styled intellectuals belong to this category. Survival instinct nothing else. We don't have leaders but "led-ers".